Hi Ladies, I have a question about the CT scan. In May 2018, I was diagnosed with mbc de novo. It had spread to my lymph node, all spine, pelvis, femur and some indeterminate bits in my liver. My hip was so bad that I had to have a hip replacement operation and I am only 44! I started taking Ibrance and Letrozole (+ Zoladex and Zometa) in June. I also drastically changed my diet (NO SUGAR, no dairy and no glutten). My CA 153 went down to normal levels within the first 3 months. I had my scan in October and all cancer has gone from my bones, liver and lymph node!! 😊However, the report does not mention breast mass at all 🤔. Did your CT scan mention the breast? They said I need to have an ultrasound to find out but I thought it would show in the CT. Many thanks for your help! Xx
Question about CT scan: Hi Ladies, I... - SHARE Metastatic ...
Question about CT scan
Hi Evawy!
It sounds as if you have made a lot of progress since you started treatment. You must be so pleased! I just had a read of my latest radiology report and I did not see any mention of the breast tumour either except to say the cancer was in the left breast. But it was mentioned in a separate report from my oncologist, who said it had shrunk. If you have been scheduled for an ultrasound then it seems as though you will find out more after that. I hope it shows that the tumour is responding to treatment.
All the best,
Sophie x
Thanks for your reply, Sophie. So it seems that the CT scan is more about finding out response of metastasis. At least your oncologist mentioned that your breast tumour had shrunk! It seems that at stage 4 oncs only look at response of treatment but our aim is to achieve complete remission! Xx
You're welcome! Yes, I think you're right. My report mentioned I was stable and that my lungs, kidneys and other organs were normal. My aim is the same as yours. I am also aiming for full, complete remission. It is possible, as so many other patients who were stage 4 have made a full recovery despite their oncologists' predictions, so why not us? I am not going to give up. x
Hi Sophie, I am not giving up either. I think full remission is possible. At stage 4 it takes complete commitment with the diet, supplements, etc. but I am seeing good results so I am continuing until it is all gone! I am reading lots about cancer being a metabolic disease and not genetic and this approach makes a lot of sense to me. Dr Slocum at Chemothermia has implemented a metabolic based protocol and he is getting amazing results. My friend with mbc went there this summer, after the hormonal treatment stopped, and she came back in complete remission. There is hope! Xx
Hi Evawy,
It's so encouraging to hear about your friend's recovery and also about how well you are doing too. My last two CT scans and reports from my oncologist have shown I am stable and that the tumour is shrinking, so I will continue with my regimen too. I am seeing a naturopath at the end of December, so hope to add to what I am doing to help get my immune system working properly again. Where is Dr Slocum located?
Sophie x
Seeing a naturopath seems like a good idea. I have not seen one yet, need to investigate. Dr Slocum is based in Turkey. My friend went there when the hormonal treament stopped working and her onc told her she had to do chemo next . She decided to go because they use low dose chemo (with IV Vitamin C, Hyperbaric oxygen etc.) and the results are better than with more toxic full dose chemo. However, I hoping to get the same results with Ibrance and the diet (and not chemo!) but as a last resort it is good to know that this clinic exits! Xx
Thanks for letting me know! When I was first diagnosed I was keen to get going with chemotherapy, but when I learned that I could have hormone therapy instead (I don't take Ibrance) I got going with Zoladex, Letrazole and Zometa. I will have to look into somewhere else to go if this stops working though, as I can't go to Turkey. It would cause problems for me. x
Wow congratulations on your amazing result..just shows how letrazole and Ibrance can have startling results..my mets seem to be staying stable at the moment with the same drug combo
I’m afraid I’m not able to comment on the need for an ultrasound on your breast..maybe it’s because you’re very young?.. there must be a valid reason though
I wish you well
Barb xx
My oncologist had the surgeon remove the breast mass. She said there are better ways to see if treatment is working than to leave cancer in my breast.
That is interesting because I was told that at Stage 4 they would never operate. Glad to know that it is possible xx
That's what I was told too when I mentioned breast surgery to my oncologist earlier this month. I was offered an oophorectomy months ago, but I turned it down. As long as the Zoladex injections and Letrazole are working I want to keep my ovaries. x
I didn’t question it. It seemed like a good idea to me. Wish they could cut it all out.
Thanks everyone for well-informed discussion - I learn a lot here! I'm also stage 4 mbc with extensive bone mets. I've also really changed diet (also nutritionist recommended eating in 10 hour window, having 14 hour fast daily) and my tumour has shrunk a lot. Onc last described it as 'irregularity' rather than lump. I just had a CT, results next week, but I think my tumour does show up there - maybe because of its position? I think it's quite close to skin surface, onc can measure it physically with Medieval-looking instrument!
Intermittent fasting is fantastic and lots of studies to show it’s benefits in healing cells. Also I supporting gut health. I’m
Also investigating microbiome info right now. Great series going on now called interconnected- not cancer specific but body health supporting. Today you can still listen to episode 3 for free snd tonight 4
Congratulations, Evawy! I'm so glad to hear of your good results! I, too, have been on Ibrance and Letrozole for two years now, but my last PET/CT scan showed three spots with potentially increased metabolic activity and my tumor marker number is beginning to edge up again, although still (barely) in the normal range.
I was wondering what you have read about cancer being a metabolic disease, as it sounds like the changes you've made to your diet have been very successful.
I wish you continued good luck and hope this regimen will be curative for you!
Thanks Dianne. It is is good that Ibrance has been working for the last 2 years for you. My diet is no sugar (that is the most important bit), no glutten and no dairy. I have also stopped eating meat but I have organic eggs and wild caught salmon twice a week. I try to eat everything organic. A very intetesting book I have read is Jane McLelland's How to starve cancer. She has cured Stage 4 ovarian cancer with off label drugs. She explains that cancer is a metabolic disease and that it can be starved cutting all pathways it needs to survive. There is a clinic called Care Oncology Clinic in London and the USA that is currently trialing some of the off label drugs that Jane mentions in her book. The Metabolic Approach to cancer by Nasha Winters also provides helpful information. All the best xx
Thank you, Evawy! This is very helpful. I appreciate you taking the time to respond.
All best, Dianne
I follow a whole foods, plant based diet, low to no oil, no cane sugar (will use date sugar in desert recipe and some pure maple sryup), no meat, no dairy, no fish. My daughter does all the cooking, the food is great and we all feel better on it. I've had stage IV since 7/17, on letrozole and Ibrance, doing well , stable, some new bone Mets, but pericardial and pleural effusions are gone, small mass and nodes are all smaller. Check out nutritionfacts.org for nutrition information. Check out cookbooks: Forks Over Knives and The How Not To Die Cookbook.
You would need to have an MRI of the breast.
I am waiting on my results ..hope its good news. I had ulra sound and mammogram in August and breast show good but was having chest pain and thats when they found all the other Cancer ..ct scan on my chest ..then 3 other scan on my brain.. Abdomen. And full body scan. Showed cancer in my ribs.. Spine..lungs and hips. Been taking Ibrance and letroizle treatments and had a round off radiation Zometa every month .Had breast Cancer in April 2016. Went from there to everywhere else. Waiting paitently to hear back from my Onoligist ..
All the best for your results. Hopefully the drugs are working well for you.xx
I too was diagnosed in May 2018 de novo--with one 1.5 cm brain tumor and one 2 cm breast tumor. The brain tumor was removed via surgery, with follow-up stereotactic radiation to the brain tumor site. After 5 months of anastrozole and two months of Ibrance, the breast tumor is no longer seen on the PET/CT scan. My onc. says PET scan every 6 months--and of course, brain MRI every 3 months. He does not order CT scan without adding on the PET scan. Every onc. is different! Best to all of you!
Very good — both seasons
My ct scan does chest, pelvic, and abdomen. I’m pretty sure they can everything. Excellent news on the drug combo!!
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